12:11 PM
Katy
12 Comments

So the good news is that I finally figured out what kind of lighting to use for Dawn's built-in bookcases, and I have to announce that Susan (a commenter here who doesn't have a blog) emailed me in a panic to send me this link to LED lighting.

Yes that's only 1 coat of primer and Dawn already decorated the shelves for Christmas, a girl can only wait so long!!

Susan was terrified after seeing my redneck funnel lamps, and wanted to make sure that I didn't crap up the last 6 months of carpentry labor. :) Bless her heart. She saved us - this LED stuff is the newest thing in lighting, and I was kicking myself for not thinking of it because Philips North America has been pushing it like crazy. Supposedly it will be taking over fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs because #1. It is extremely low voltage, #2. it lasts like, forever, and #3. it's cheap. But since I never pay much attention to the latest technology (I always assume I can't afford it) - this one flew right over my head.

All Hail My Awesome Photography Skillz! LED pics to follow..

Now, the only thing I didn't love about the link Susan sent me? The blogger's husband installed it. Sigh. So for the rest of us who don't have a handyman at our beck-and-call, my next post will be a more detailed tutorial on installing this lighting. Get your soldering guns ready, kittens. I promise it'll be a piece of cake.

Secondly, the AWESOME NEWS is that my architect sent me the mostly finished plans for the beach shack, and he listened to EVERY STUPID WORD I BABBLED on the subject. Right down to the sliding barn door over the washer/dryer and the corner closet in the kids' room. And the antique sink, the oddball 18" dishwasher, the surfboard showers, and insane gravity-defying bunkbeds. (maybe on that last one.)

I'm waiting for a consult with the contractor this coming week. Then I will promptly begin flipping out over money again. Don't worry - I've been prepping for this meltdown for weeks now, calling all the banks and figuring out personal loans vs. construction loans vs. throwing $20k on a credit card. YES. WE ARE DOING THIS MY PRETTIES.

The golf balls I sent the architect for Christmas. He really deserves them!

And lastly - my kids spent Christmas out of state with my ex and his wife (why doesn't Santa ever bring me VALIUM?) so I'm trying to overcome my winter depression coupled with reading too much news. Thank God there's a savior. (Jesus, I meant. Not Valium. or tequila.....)

Ok. so you'll hear from me again when I have #1. a tutorial for LED strip lighting installation, and #2. an introduction to my architect (who has also worked on one of Jane Coslick's recent projects!) and my finished plans.

Hallelujah. Happy New Year!

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12 comments:

Wow, my bloggy friend... you have so much on your overflowing plate! I am dyeing to see this incredible beach shack plan... so very exciting! Keep your head up my dear, remember to take a breath when you need one! Now I am off to see your LED solution to the lighting dilemma! You Rock!dee dee

So for some of us who do have a husband that they can call on, that husband might be totally inept when it comes to being a handyman and pretty much hides with his fingers in his ears when I say something along the lines of "hey, what if..." so please share away with the simplified tutorials. I'm the brainchild that thinks it's easier to just be careful when dealing with electric than turning it off. I need all the help I can get, lol.

Holy cow. I get busy with projects at home and visit your blog to find you have installed the lights! And I agree with Nikki, husband and handy don't go in the same sentence in my house. I do have a blog, but post rarely. I hope to post the two projects I worked on this week. Excited you found an architect with ears!

Actually I suggested LED lights when you first blogged about the cabinet lighting (http://www.momandherdrill.blogspot.com/2012/10/bookcase-lights-blah-blah-blah.html). In my reply to your post I said "How about running led's or rope lights hidden inside the front trim?" You didn't discount my suggestion because I'm a male engineer, did you? :-)

No Brian, I don't like LED rope lighting. It's too big and expensive. I didn't know about this LED reel stuff at the time - it's quite different and better for this application! I wasn't ignoring you :)

Mom and Her Drill

I used to be a mechanical engineer and a single mom. I built a tiny beach house on Tybee Island for kicks (which I sold in 2015). Now I am married to Prince Charming and I'm renovating his gigantic wreck of a fixer-upper (aka The Lake Mansion). It's HGTV meets the zombie apocalypse - one disaster after another- plus lots of kids!